In the past couple of weeks we've been playing hid and seek with the chicken's eggs. We've been finding them in hedges, behind bushes, under hostas etc, I think it's the time of year as a friend is having similar issues. I spent yesterday cleaning out the chicken hut, disinfecting and de-licing it, new bedding, the lot. I then kept them in the pen all morning today, but not a single egg. When I locked them up again tonight, there is one egg on the floor. Either they are not laying, which at this time of year is unlikely, or they are managing to stash them somewhere out of sight, anyone experienced similar problems? Apart from just keeping them locked in the pen all day, is there anything else anyone can suggest.
Mine have kind of gone off the lay, but I have been putting it down to all the rain. Then after reading your post Janet I had a good look round and found four eggs in a wee nest with some duck eggs. However they cannot have been there for long as I always scout around for duck eggs in case the crows get them.
I have a duck sitting on some eggs in the hen house and I am really hopeful that for the first time in two years I may get some ducklings. They should be hatching soon. ( I hope) I will let you know.
Actually I suspect the hens are laying in the duck nest when the duck has a comfort break!!!!!
Old teachers never die, they just lose their class
danast said:
Mine have kind of gone off the lay, but I have been putting it down to all the rain.
I kind of agree with Danuta but I think it is the winds that have put my hens off laying, they hate it much more than rain or snow. I have had very few eggs in the last week. I bet if we had a good few days of hot sunshine with no wind things would change. Mine are just lazing around trying to go broody.
****This last paragraph is from me but it keeps coming up as a quote of Danuta's....I have tried to correct it a couple of times & here I go again.....??!!
"The beautiful is as useful as the useful...perhaps more so."
from Les Miserables
Bit of a change today. I got 6 eggs from 7 hens, which considering 2 of them are almost 10 years old is very good. Also got 3 duck eggs from 4 ducks, so all in all a good day today. I just wish they were more consistent. Oh and it poured for a lot of today, so bang goes my theory!!!!!
Old teachers never die, they just lose their class
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